The research, which surveyed 1,000 UK consumers on what they thought about branded content, how they engage with it and how they like it to be delivered, also revealed that consumers aged 18–24 were heavily influenced by brand content, with 69% confirming they would make a product purchase after seeing it online, dropping to 40% for consumers aged 35 plus.

When questioned on how consumers make considered purchases worth in excess of £100, traditional methods like Google Search, online reviews and the brand websites are still deemed the most trusted sources of information, followed closely by YouTube with 30% of consumers advising they use the video search engine to aid purchasing decisions.

Other key take outs from the research include:

• Although the power of social influencers is still apparent, 23% of respondents advised that they don’t trust information they see about a brand from an external channel.
• When questioning the value of social media channels, nearly half [44%] of respondents advised that they feel most connected to Facebook, although this figure slumps to just 28% amongst respondents aged 18-24.
• 38% of respondents advised they are more likely to engage with brands indirectly via other digital platforms, as opposed to visiting the brand website.
• TV is still listed as the overall biggest media influencer in selecting and buying products, as confirmed by 40% of respondents.
• Consumers are most receptive to branded content from the Food & Drink, Health & Lifestyle and Travel industries, followed closely by Fashion and Apparel.
• The majority of people find that the most engaging content is funny (36%), informative (30%) or inspirational (20%). Only 2% wanted content that is shocking (2%). 30% of Generation Zs preferred inspirational content which is in line with the idea that the younger generation care more about something with purpose and a deeper meaning. 
• Only 25% say they trust the information they find on a brand’s website, with 11% saying they don’t at all, and 65% claiming they ‘somewhat’ do.

On discussing the research, Sven Lung, the Founder and CEO of Green Park Content, said: “Green Park Content is dedicated to helping brands publish authentic and valuable content online that will increase consumer engagement and drive resulting sales. In conducting this research, we wanted to understand what types of content people engage with most and how they like it to be delivered, so brands can understand how best to reach their target audiences.”

“The research provided some extremely telling results, particularly in showcasing that not only should brands create a proactive content marketing strategy to engage with stakeholders, but that they should take the time to understand how different demographics utilise and engage with varying digital platforms to increase consumer engagement and drive effective results.”

Founded in 2014 by Sven Lung, the Founder of e-Commerce empire, Brand Alley, Green Park Content is a global brand publishing agency, headquartered in London city centre.

Specialists in creating effective and innovative brand publishing strategies for leading brands like Unilever, the firm employs over 200 staff.